What other players can say this about their game? (Michael Jordan)

[russwest0]

It's crazy when you look back at just how good and dominant Jordan was.

He was one of the best guards of all time at scoring.
He was one of the best guards of all time at defense.
He was one of the best guards of all time at playmaking.
And he was one of the best guards of all time at rebounding.

And I don't have a doubt that he could have been THE BEST EVER for his position at any one of these areas of the game had he focused solely on that area.

What other players in NBA history can say that, for their position, they are truly one of the best of all time in all four of the above categories: scoring, defending, playmaking, and rebounding?

We got Jordan, but who else?

[Im Still Ballin]

Lebron HAS to be up there.

#2.

[Sarcastic]

Wilt Chamberlain.

[russwest0]

Lebron HAS to be up there.

#2.

I don't think he'd qualify in the rebounding and defense departments.

That's what makes Jordan so special. His all around ability made it so that any aspect of his game rivaled even guys who were in the NBA as specialists at that same area of the game.

[played0ut]

Jordan was special in that he had no weakness. Most great players had some weakness.

Wilt - free throws
Magic - defense
Bird - longevity/athleticism

And some had no weaknesses and were solid all around.


But no one excelled at EVERYTHING unlike this dude. That's partly because he's pathologically competitive. Any weakness people say he has he works on it right away. Before Drexler met him in the finals people were talking about how Drexler's 3 pt shooter was better.

Jordan responded by saying that Drexler's 3 pt shooting was better than MJ chooses his own to be-- he didn't like it because it took away from the rest of his game and he would just sit on the perimeter.

Then that game with 6 3-pointers to make a point.




Actually he was asked what he could've worked on more looking back. He thought for a little while, then said he would've liked to be a better free-throw shooter.

[Soundwave]

What I liked about MJ was his competitiveness.

IMO it's Jordan, Russell, and Bird who top that. Everyone else is a pretender.

[Cocaine80s]

Lebron

[fpliii]

Walton for a C? Shit longevity though.

[Soundwave]

Lebron

I don't think he' the GOAT SF as a defender. Pippen is a better defender than him.

[Cocaine80s]

I don't think he' the GOAT SF as a defender. Pippen is a better defender than him.
so? tony allen is a better defender than jordan

[WillC]

It's crazy when you look back at just how good and dominant Jordan was.

He was one of the best guards of all time at scoring.
He was one of the best guards of all time at defense.
He was one of the best guards of all time at playmaking.
And he was one of the best guards of all time at rebounding.

And I don't have a doubt that he could have been THE BEST EVER for his position at any one of these areas of the game had he focused solely on that area.

What other players in NBA history can say that, for their position, they are truly one of the best of all time in all four of the above categories: scoring, defending, playmaking, and rebounding?

We got Jordan, but who else?

Wilt Chamberlain. Definitely amongst the best scorers, defenders, rebounders and playmakers at his position.

LeBron James. He's definitely one of the best ever at his position at all four aspects you listed.

Oscar Robertson. Defensively he was good but not great. But I'd argue Jordan was good but not great at playmaking, so it's a wash.

Maurice Stokes. Best playmaker and rebounder at his position, during his short career. Excellent defender. Very good scorer.

[russwest0]

so? tony allen is a better defender than jordan

There are tons of guys in the league past and present who are/were better defenders than LeBron.

He can't make the list for that reason. Same goes for his rebounding.

[played0ut]

What I liked about MJ was his competitiveness.

IMO it's Jordan, Russell, and Bird who top that. Everyone else is a pretender.

Jerry West. That man hated losing more than anything. One game during conference finals they were down by 12 points with 5 minutes left in the fourth. Guy refuses to lose and scores the next TEN POINTS (this was before 3 pt line). Hits last two free throws and wins the game.

Jerry West even now can barely handle going to Boston.

In '69 when West lost the finals and won FMVP Russell and Havlicek actually went to the locker room and tried to console Jerry.



Anyway if you have time there're some WEst stories.

http://20secondtimeout.blogspot.ca/2010/03/roland-lazenby-describes-jerry-wests.html

quick excerpts



West quickly realized that not everyone took competition as seriously as he did. Lazenby writes, "He learned that some people didn't hate losing the way he did. It was a trait he came to despise in teammates, especially as he made his way through the ranks of the game and came to recognize the condition. Some people just don't care as much, or even care at all sometimes, he realized. He could not abide that. West decided then that he absolutely hated people who didn't understand what it meant to compete, who didn't hate to lose, who put the focus on themselves and not on the team"




Jerry West also claimed that he overheard neighbors saying that he never would amount to anything. Lazenby writes, "That comment, real or imagined, made West furious and he would hold on to that memory as a driving force in his competitive ferocity" (p. 93). That is no different than Michael Jordan using real or imagined slights as motivation or Kobe Bryant declaring to a mouthy opponent, "Better learn not to talk to me. You shake the tree, a leopard's gonna fall out."

[poido123]

I like where you're going with this OP :applause:

5 starred, will read again.

Jordan was a freak of nature. Made everything look easy and dominant.

[Sakkreth]

LeBron and Oscar.

[russwest0]

LeBron and Oscar.

Oscar yes, because of the era he played in.

LeBron no, not at all.